1971
Clete Boyer, involved in a dispute with Atlanta Braves owner Paul Richards and manager Lum Harris over alleged silly rules and mismanagement, gets his release and retires. Boyer had hit safely in the last nine games of his career, including five home runs and 14 RBI.

1930
Cleveland Indians’ Joe Sewell strikes out twice facing lefthander Pat Caraway of the Chicago White Sox. It is the LAST time the Indians third baseman will fan this season, striking out only three times in 353 at-bats.

1981
Carl Yastrzemski plays in his 3,000th major league game, scoring the winning run in the Red Sox 8-7 triumph over the Indians. Yaz joins Ty Cobb, Stan Musial, and Hank Aaron as the only major leaguers to appear in 3,000 games.

1989
New York Yankees reliever Lee Guetterman gives up five runs in the ninth inning of New York’s 11-4 loss to California, ending his consecutive scoreless inning streak at 30 2/3. It is the longest season-opening streak in the majors since Harry Brecheen’s in 1948 for St. Louis, and the longest season-opening streak ever by a reliever.

1976
St. Louis Cardinals’ switch-hitting slugger, Reggie Smith, hit three home runs – two right-handed and one left-handed – and drove in five runs in a 7-6 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. Smith’s third homer came with two outs in the ninth and broke a 6-6 tie.

1996
Ken Griffey, Jr. of the Seattle Mariners hits his 200th career home run at age 26. Only seven other players have done this more quickly, and six are in the Hall of Fame. Of course, so is Griffey, now!

1920
At the request of Chicago Cubs officials, policemen disguised as soldiers, farmers, and bootblacks raid the bleachers and arrest 24 fans for gambling. Meanwhile, on the field Grover Alexander blanks the Philadelphia Phillies 6-0.

1968
After hitting 10 home runs in six games, Frank Howard of the Washington Senators was stopped at Detroit by pitcher Earl Wilson, who won the game 5-4 as the Detroit Tigers began their World Championship season.